90th joint patrol on Mekong River completed

The 90th Mekong River joint patrol led by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand concluded Tuesday, as three Chinese law enforcement boats returned to Guanlei Port in southwestern province of Yunnan.

A total of 129 law enforcement officers from the four countries participated in the mission in six vessels and covered 748 km in six days, according to the provincial public security department.

Joint inspections, joint drills and an anti-drug publicity campaign were launched in key waters such as the Golden Triangle, an area notorious for drug production, with three ships, 41 vehicles, 109 people and 151.6 tonnes of cargo inspected during the mission.

Publicity work on navigation safety and laws and regulations was also carried out during the patrol, aimed at raising the crew's safety awareness, with every effort made to prevent navigation accidents.

The joint patrol program started in December 2011 after a gang hijacked two cargo ships and killed 13 Chinese sailors in Thai waters on Oct. 5 that year.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping among China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.